This invention relates to fishing rods and more particularly concerns a rod having an improved combination of butt and reel seat that provides increased strength and decreased weight in a greatly simplified arrangement.
Offshore trolling rods for deep sea fishing and surf casting rods are often formed of three main sections -- the rod itself, the rear butt section which provides a long handle and a firm, solid support for the rod assembly, and a reel seat section between the butt and the rod. The rearmost end of the butt section of the trolling rod may be provided with a gimbal knock in the form of a transversely notched end to support the rod in a given position of alignment with respect to a rod gimbal. Commonly, the rod butt, which is of a convenient length for handling as may be necessary or desirable in deep sea fishing, is formed with a forwardly extending tenon or pin which slidably receives a hollow reel seat having fixed and movable reel hoods mounted thereon. The reel seat slidably receives a forward tenon of the butt and is fixed upon this tenon. The rod itself has a metallic ferrule at its rear end which is notched and detachably received within the reel seat, the ferrule notch seating upon an alignment pin extending through the reel seat to insure rotational alignment of the rod and reel seat about the rod axis.
Large bending forces are applied to the rod assembly, being applied to the butt by the great leverage of the rod itself. Thus offshore trolling rods and surf casting rods are most likely to break, under long use and great bending stresses, at the junction of the reel seat and the butt section. Specifically, in prior constructions that point of the butt section at which a shoulder is formed by the junction of the butt tenon and the body portion of the butt provides a decreased diameter and a relatively sharp step or shoulder to concentrate stresses at the portion of decreased diameter, thus creating a greater probability of breakage at this point. Furthermore, in this construction, where the seat section is slidably received on the butt tenon and then adhesively secured, it is essential that the tenon and seat be precisely sized for a good, close fit and that these elements be precisely aligned. Thus decreased tolerances and increased cost of manufacture result. Alternatively, a poor fit of the reel seat upon the butt tenon and a considerably weaker rod assembly are obtained.
To avoid the need to assemble upon the butt section a completely separate seat section, a butt has been made which is bored to receive a separate tubular insert inserted into and fixed to its forward end. This insert itself forms the reel seat, having a reel hood fixed to its rear end and receiving at its forward end an adjustable reel hood. A rod ferrule aligning pin extends transversely through holes drilled through the seat section.
This arrangement of a tubular insert still faces the problems of precisely sizing the two telescoped parts and aligning the bore drilled in the butt section. Further, the use of an aligning pin greatly adds to the complexity and cost of finishing the rod assembly since those areas at which the ends of the pin protrude from the sides of the seat section must be carefully machined and finished to provide a satisfactory appearance and a smooth surface to avoid interference with the reel.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a rod assembly having a butt and reel seat that minimizes or eliminates above-mentioned problems.